In Maryland, you must maintain the minimum coverage limits for bodily injury, property damage, underinsured motorist, and personal injury protection coverage.
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Each state has different car insurance requirements. Some states only require you to carry the minimum liability insurance, while others, like Maryland, may require more.
Understanding the state’s auto insurance requirements lets you remain covered while avoiding fees and penalties. And comparing car insurance quotes from multiple insurers can help you find the cheapest coverage for your needs.
This article will show you what’s expected of you to drive legally in Maryland.
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Maryland car insurance requirements
Maryland law requires drivers to add various coverages to their insurance policy. To drive legally in Maryland, your car insurance must meet the following minimum requirements:
Bodily injury coverage: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident
Property damage coverage: $15,000 per accident
Personal injury protection (PIP): $2,500 per person
Uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident
Uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage: $15,000 per accident[1]
Liability coverage
Bodily injury liability covers bodily harm to other people in an accident you cause. You must have coverage of at least $30,000 for one person and $60,000 per accident to drive legally in Maryland.
Property damage liability covers the repair costs for damage to the other party’s property. This property includes vehicles and other objects, like mailboxes and fences. You’re required to carry at least $15,000 per accident in this coverage.
PIP coverage reimburses you and your passengers for medical expenses, lost wages, child care, household expenses, funeral expenses, and more if you sustain injuries in a covered accident. This is true regardless of who’s at fault for the accident.
PIP coverage ensures you receive medical care immediately without going through the other party’s liability coverage. The state of Maryland requires drivers to carry at least $2,500 in PIP coverage.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage
Underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage will reimburse you for your vehicle repairs or medical costs if the at-fault party doesn’t have enough insurance. Maryland drivers must hold at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in uninsured or underinsured bodily injury coverage. Additionally, drivers must maintain at least $15,000 per accident for uninsured or underinsured property damage coverage.
Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund
The Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund (MAIF), now known as Maryland Auto Insurance, is a government agency that helps drivers obtain car insurance if they can’t qualify for it in the private market.
You may be eligible for this program if at least two insurance companies refuse to insure you and you don’t have unpaid premiums with the MAIF.[2]
Applying for coverage under the MAIF is straightforward
Visit mymarylandauto.com to find a licensed agent using its agent locator tool.
Your representative will discuss coverage options and help you obtain a quote.
Pay for your car insurance policy and get insured.[3]
Do you need more than state-minimum coverage in Maryland?
If you’re at fault for an accident, liability car insurance pays for only the other party’s medical bills and vehicle repairs. Most states, including Maryland, require you to purchase this coverage to drive legally. However, this coverage does nothing to support your expenses as part of an accident.
If this is a concern for you, you need a full-coverage policy. These policies offer the state-mandated liability as well as comprehensive and collision coverages to protect you and your vehicle.
Liability-only insurance will usually be the cheaper of the two. The average cost of a liability-only policy in Maryland is $161, and the average monthly price of a full-coverage policy is $252, according to Insurify data.
While Maryland doesn’t require you to purchase full-coverage insurance, insurance professionals encourage drivers to have more than the state’s minimum liability limits. This is because a full-coverage policy mitigates the financial blow of legal and repair expenses if you cause a car accident.
A liability-only policy may be sufficient for people driving an older car or people who drive infrequently, especially in a low-risk area.
If you have a new or expensive car, consider a full-coverage policy to protect your investment. Additionally, if you commute frequently, especially in a high-risk area, you may want to consider a full-coverage policy. Your lender may also require you to have full-coverage insurance before it’ll grant you a loan for a new vehicle.
The cost of liability-only car insurance in Maryland
Liability insurance covers the vehicle repairs and medical expenses of the other party in an accident you cause. However, this coverage won’t apply to any of your own expenses. This one-sided nature makes liability-only coverage a relatively inexpensive insurance option.
USAA offers the cheapest liability-only car insurance rates in Maryland. Here, you can see several companies in Maryland that offer the cheapest liability-only policies.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, September 18 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
The cost of full-coverage car insurance in Maryland
A full-coverage policy provides the same coverage as a liability policy but also offers comprehensive and collision coverages. Comprehensive coverage reimburses you for damage to your vehicle after a non-collision incident, like theft, vandalism, or a natural disaster. Collision coverage reimburses you for damage to your vehicle after a car collision, even if you were at fault.
USAA offers the cheapest full-coverage car insurance rates in the state. The insurers below offer the most affordable full-coverage policies in Maryland.
The below rates are estimated rates current as of: Monday, September 18 at 12:00 PM PDT.
Disclaimer: Table data sourced from real-time quotes from Insurify's 50-plus partner insurance providers and quote estimates from Quadrant Information Services. Actual quotes may vary based on the policy buyer's unique driver profile.
Penalties for driving without proof of insurance in Maryland
You may face fines and have your driving privileges revoked if you fail to maintain Maryland’s minimum requirements. Such penalties could include:
Fines: Uninsured drivers may pay a $150 penalty for the first 30 days of their policy lapsing and $7 for each additional day.
Registration suspension: The state of Maryland will suspend your registration if you drive without insurance, and you must pay a fee of up to $25 to have your registration restored. Additionally, you can only register other vehicles once you clear your violations.
License plate suspension: A tag recovery agent may confiscate your license plate during your registration suspension.
Jail time: If you falsify insurance documents, you may pay a fine of up to $1,000 or receive a year of imprisonment.[4]
Optional car insurance coverages to consider
While meeting the state’s minimum insurance requirements will protect you from the penalties listed above, you may need additional coverage depending on your unique circumstances. Here are some coverages you may want to consider:
Roadside assistance
This coverage pays for emergency roadside assistance services, like jump-starting a dead battery or replacing a flat tire if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road.
Car rental coverage
Your insurer will pay for your car rental fees so you can get around while your car is in the shop for covered repairs.
Gap insurance
If you total your car, gap insurance will compensate you for the difference between the current value of your vehicle and the remaining balance on your loan.
Glass coverage
Your insurer will cover repairs and replacement when your windshield or windows have cracks, chips, or other damages.
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Maryland car insurance requirements FAQs
If you’re interested in learning more about car insurance requirements in Maryland, the answers below can help.
Are you required to have car insurance in Maryland?
Yes, you’re legally required to carry the minimum car insurance. Failure to do so may result in you paying a fine or having your registration revoked.
Do you need car insurance to register a car in Maryland?
Yes, you must have at least the minimum liability insurance to register your vehicle.
Does insurance follow the car or the driver in Maryland?
In Maryland, car insurance usually follows the driver. If someone drives your car without your permission and gets into an accident, your insurer may deny their claim. In that event, their policy may kick in.
What is the minimum amount of car insurance required to drive in Maryland?
You must have at least $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage and $15,000 in property damage liability coverage. You must also carry $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident in underinsured motorist bodily liability coverage and $15,000 in underinsured property damage coverage. Finally, you must have at least $2,500 in personal injury protection.
Is it illegal to drive without insurance in Maryland?
Yes. You can face fines, suspension of your registration, and potentially jail time if you drive without insurance in Maryland.
Methodology
Insurify data scientists analyzed more than 90 million quotes served to car insurance applicants in Insurify’s proprietary database to calculate the premium averages displayed on this page. These premiums are real quotes that come directly from Insurify’s 50+ partner insurance companies in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Quote averages represent the median price for a quote across the given coverage level, driver subset, and geographic area.
Unless otherwise specified, quoted rates reflect the average cost for drivers between 20 and 70 years old with a clean driving record and average or better credit (a credit score of 600 or higher).
Liability-only premium averages correspond to policies with the following coverage limits:
Bodily injury limits between state-minimum rates and $50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Property damage limits between $10,000 and $50,000
No additional coverage
Full-coverage premium averages correspond to the same bodily injury and property damage limits in addition to:
Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible
Quotes for Allstate, Farmers, GEICO, State Farm, and USAA are estimates based on Quadrant Information Services’ database of auto insurance rates.
Alani Asis is an SEO-savvy, personal finance freelance writer with nearly three years of experience in content creation. She has landed bylines with leading publications and brands like Insider, Fortune, LendingTree, and more. Alani aims to make personal finance approachable through fun, relatable, and digestible content.
7+ years in business and financial services content
Chris is a seasoned writer/editor with past experience across myriad industries, including insurance, SAS, finance, Medicare, logistics, marketing/advertising, and many more.
